The industrial environment is seemingly inherently contaminated by a variety of petroleum or other hydrocarbon-based products. For example, heavy machinery requires constant maintenance ranging from part repair to lubrication. Such operations inevitably result in spillage of a variety of hydrocarbon-based fluids. Further, particularly in the case of older equipment, seals may leak and a variety of different contaminants such as oil, greases, fuel and other hydrocarbons spilled or leaked onto the floor. Such problems are not restricted to factories or other industrial environments using heavy machinery. Similar problems exist in many other environments from small and lightweight manufacturing facilities to the home mechanic changing oil in his or her garage. Whether due to a leaky seal in a piece of heavy equipment or a spill while changing oil in a car, such spills typically contain toxic substances and can be extremely hazardous. Moreover, the presence of an oil spill or the like in a factory walkway or other common area is a significant risk to workers. Thus, such spills must be promptly and properly cleaned to ensure safety and to reduce if not eliminate unwanted hydrocarbon products from the environment except for their intended use.
As a result, a variety of clay-based products are available to address hydrocarbon product spillage. Such clay products are typically provided in a container or other suitable package provided by the manufacturer for sale or shipment of the product. When placed on a hydrocarbon spill, the clay product absorbs the spill. A variety of such products are available from various sources. One such known product is sold under the trademark OIL DRY. Another is offered under the trademark MIRACLE SWEEP. Other such clay products include cat litter. The use of such products is to place the clay-based material onto the spill and leave for a sufficient period to permit absorption of the spill. The used product, including the hydrocarbon can then be swept up and the spill is, at least to some extent, remedied. If necessary, the process is repeated to affect a maximum amount of cleaning.
There are problems that arise when using clay products to clean hydrocarbon spills. Clay products are not bioremedial, i.e. they do not regenerate. This means that once used, the clay product becomes waste. A related problem with the clay products' lack of bioremediation is that, after absorbing a toxic hydrocarbon, the clay product itself becomes a hazardous waste. After absorbing the spill, the user must find a way of disposing of the used clay product in a manner that ensures against pollution of the environment with a hazardous waste material. One method of disposing used clay products has been the use of land fill space. This, of course, is very expensive. Disposing of used clay products in a land fill presents its own set of other problems, including the possibility that the hydrocarbon may leak out of the clay product and into the ground. Leakage of the hydrocarbon into the earth can be very hazardous to the environment.
Because of the need to reduce industrial waste, alternative types of hydrocarbon absorbents are being tried. Some newer absorbents include natural, non-toxic, non-pathogenic, non-caustic, regenerating petrophilic microorganisms. One such suspension is sold under the trademark OIL SPONGE. The regenerating petrophilic microorganisms are live, synergistic groups that digest hydrocarbons and aromatic compounds. Some such microorganisms are believed able to absorb up to eight times more liquid than conventional clay products. The suspension of at least some such absorbents with regenerating petrophilic microorganisms has the consistency of dust.
Petrophilic microorganisms are typically activated to an absorbent state upon contact with a hydrocarbon. As with conventional clay products, the suspension can be poured or otherwise placed directly onto a hydrocarbon spill. After absorbing the hydrocarbon, the suspension can be swept up and, in some instances, immediately disposed. One benefit is that a lesser quantity of cleaning suspension or absorbent is necessary because the petrophilic microorganisms are able to absorb a greater quantity of spill using less absorbent. Accordingly, less used absorbent is generated. There is yet another benefit, however, because the microorganism can regenerate itself for reuse. Under ideal conditions, a petrophilic microorganism may completely regenerate itself in six hours. A petrophilic microorganism is believed able to reach an effective absorbent stage approximately six times. However, even after losing its regeneration capabilities, the petrophilic microorganism will not leak any hydrocarbon and constitutes a non-hazardous waste product. Thus, the petrophilic microorganism suspension can be bagged and routinely disposed, eliminating concern and liability for hazardous waste disposal, including the possibility of costly government citations to the user.
Packaging of conventional clay products is typically accomplished in a single package that permits dispensing of the absorbent onto the spill. Packaging of regenerating microorganism suspension absorbent has, to the inventor's knowledge, tracked conventional clay product packaging, which does not contemplate recycling of the absorbent. Preferably, after the regenerating petrophilic microorganism suspension has been used to absorb a hydrocarbon spill, the used suspension should be stored in a manner such that the microorganism has time to regenerate before it is to be used a second time. Simply storing the suspension in a conventional container is not practical. In that instance, after use, the used suspension would be stored on top of other, unused suspension in the container. If a subsequent spill were needed to be cleaned before the used microorganism suspension were allowed to regenerate, it would be very difficult to obtain unused (or regenerated) suspension from the bottom of the container.
As noted above, industrial environments are typically dirty and messy. In addition to spills, it is not uncommon for a variety of other, extraneous materials to be found on a factory or shop floor, such as screws, bolts, machine parts and other items. Preferably, such items are disposed of in an appropriate manner. If such extraneous items are swept up with a conventional clay absorbent, these extraneous items are readily disposed with the used absorbent.
However, when using a microorganism suspension and seeking to reuse or recycle that suspension, it is important to remove these extraneous items from the suspension before reuse. Another problem is that the used suspension itself can agglomerate, forming clumps. It is necessary to break these clumps up before reusing the suspension.
Thus, a need exists in the art for a device for storing a suspension of petrophilic microorganism.
Due to the regenerating capabilities of the suspension of regenerating petrophilic microorganism, there is a further need for a device that allows used suspension to regenerate before it is reused, while permitting use of new, unused absorbent.
Yet further, a need exists for a device that filters out solid particles and breaks up or avoids use of clumped suspension particles.